


Apples is the word

by Syrse



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Animal Traits, Friendship, Interspecies Relationship(s), Love, Relationship(s), Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-26
Updated: 2016-09-29
Packaged: 2018-08-17 12:14:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8143634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Syrse/pseuds/Syrse
Summary: This is a continuation of "Tis the Season". You don't need to have read that one to enjoy this one, but it might make a little more sense if you have. The story follows the couple as they figure things out after christmas. How exactly do they fit everything together with their career, their families, and most importantly, each other? I suck at summaries, I apologise, please enjoy.





	1. Chapter 1

It was a little past noon on a Saturday, under a clear cold sky and a weak winter sun. The plaza was filled with scattered groups of animals, most of them oriented towards the stones at the front. Nick casually scanned the crowd, an interested look plastered on his face. Once in a while he would glance at his partner beside him. She was staring at the rally speaker up front with rapt attention, ears up, paws clasped together. She even had the eye sparkle going on for full effect. He had to admit, he was impressed with her performance.

He carefully kept his features in check as the crackle of the radio picked up in his ear.

"Team Salt and Pepper, state your positions."

He stood up on tiptoe a little, this time scanning for his colleagues.

"Delgato and Clawhauser, stage right, by the giraffes."

He could see them easily enough, Delgato watching the whole show with mild interest. Next to him and in stark contrast was Benjamin, bopping up and down with barely contained enthusiasm.

"Grizzoli, stage left, beside the pond."

The white wolf was harder to spot. Standing alone, he was openly scanning the crowd with a stern look. Out of five, he was the only one in uniform today.

"Wilde and Hopps, dead centre, by the big elm."

Her face betrayed nothing of the message she was relaying. Up ahead the current speaker, a young and enthusiastic oryx, delivered a particularly fiery quote, and she clapped enthusiastically along with the crowd. A genuine smile broke through his own facade as he watched his partner, completely acing her role. His eyes trailed down ever so slightly. She was looking good in casual wear, too. He caught himself and reluctantly snapped his gaze back to the front. They had a job to do, so he really shouldn't be thinking about how snug those pants fit her.  
Neither should he be thinking about how nowadays, she always called them in as Wilde and Hopps over the radio, with his name first. It was probably a coincidence, but it still made him grin every time she did.

The demonstration was about halfway, he guessed. He wasn't sure how many mammals were still lined up to speak to the gathered crowd. As long as things stayed the way they were now, their job would be fairly easy, and keeping up their roles shouldn't be too much of a problem.

He sidled a little closer to his partner, casually resting one paw on her head. To her credit, she didn't jump, simply looked at him with a questioning look. He allowed his paw to caress over her ears. They drooped instantly. She shot him a sugary sweet and fake smile, leaning into the touch. He could hear her teeth grinding together. If she had been able to speak freely, he knew exactly what she would say about him touching her on the job. His paw brushed one ear aside and came to rest on her shoulder. Up on stage, the oryx was halfway though his inter-schminter equality spiel.  
He pulled her snug against him. She was still smiling, unwilling to break character, but he could feel the slight resistance. She kept her eyes up front, draping one paw around his waist, looking for all the world like a very comfortable and happy bunny. Inside his ear, the static of the open com buzzed like a very persistent fly.

He squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, risking a low whisper against her ear. "Benjamin sure is going for the oscar tonight, isn't he?"

The cheetah was positively gushing at the speaker, awing at all the right places in his speech, all the while being quite literally draped over Delgato's side. The lion was undergoing it all with a confident and relaxed smile, even when the cheetah planted an excited kiss on his cheek.

The fox looked down at the rabbit with a warm smile.

She puffed up her cheeks in a huff, but he could already feel her relent, melting into his embrace. Her ear flicked against his snout, and he snapped at it playfully.  
With a sudden and audible chuckle, she wrapped his tie around her paw and pulled him close for a quick nose rub. He grinned, planting a kiss between her ears as she leaned into his chest. This gig just got ridiculously easy.

Grizolli's voice crackled into his ear. "Wilde, check your ten, possible trouble."

He made a point of looking at the speaker first, his arms draped comfortably around his partner, before letting his gaze wander. They weren't hard to spot. "Couple of wolves with the punk attitude?"

"Affirmative. See what they're looking at?"

Pressed against his chest, he could feel the bunny sigh. "I see them. Think they know?"

The pair of wolves stuck out like a fox in a rabbit den. They were halfway hidden behind some trees, scowling at the speaker and the crowd in turn, whispering to each other with a lot of short and snappy gestures. Currently, their attention was mostly focused on a young couple a bit further on, an otter and a beaver. The young animals were quite oblivious to the attention, happily wrapped up in each other and listening to the speaker with rapt attention. Two high school kits by the looks of it, high on puppy love and hope. They'd never see it coming. Nick checked the wolves over again, careful not to let his gaze linger too long. There was something in the stance of their ears that made his gut clench.

"Grizzoli?"

"They're hunting all right." Even over the radio, his voice sounded rough. "Best keep an eye on them. They look the type to go in for some tracking."

The otter daintily turned on her feet and planted a short and sweet kiss on the startled beaver's nose. Neither of them noticed the hint of teeth the wolves were showing. Nick willed his hackles down. There really was no point in confronting them at this time. They'd surely deny everything, likely as not double back later to cause all sorts of trouble. A police officer wouldn't get much, trying that route.

Time to let the sly fox out to play.

"Hey Hopps. Want to play catch?"

She was looking past the trees, softly stroking his paw. She replied without looking up. "What are you suggesting, Wilde?"

He chose his words with care, picturing their fellow officers already grinning at the whole situation. "Well, if they want to chase something so badly, why not give them a sturdier target?"

He flinched slightly as their wolf partner openly chuckled into the com. "Is this gentle-mammal bothering you, officer Hopps?"

She glanced over at the white wolf with a seemingly accidental look. "Hush Grizzoli. Adults talking." The radio fell silent.

She scanned the crowd again, seemingly random, but he could tell she was looking the younger couple over, assessing the wolves, evaluating the whole situation. He squeezed her paw in his, silently reassuring her.

She straightened up with a sigh. "All right, let's do this. Grizzoli, permission to engage?"

To his credit, the wolf was trying to keep the smirk out of his voice. "You have a go, Wilde-Hopps. Give them a show."

She suddenly giggled, high and fake probably only to Nick's own ears, turning in his embrace. He made a mental note to tell her later that it really wasn't her sound. She reached up to plant a short kiss on his nose. He made a show of wrinkling his muzzle, before very deliberately and pointedly, licking her cheek. She squealed and pulled back with a laugh.

"Looks like you got a nibble, Hopps."

A nibble was good, but not enough. They had to make sure. He saw her eyes widen right before he kissed her, crashing down on her lips with enthusiasm. If this didn't work, he really didn't know what else would. She was raising her paws now, placing them on his chest as if to push him away. He made a little high sound, and her paws slid into his neck instead, returning the kiss, and gods did she taste good, had it only been yesterday since he kissed her last? It suddenly seemed all too long ago.

A polite cough in his ear reminded him they had quite the audience to consider. "That got their attention all right. They don't look happy."

Nick pulled back to nip himself an ear, mindful to go for the one that was transmitter free. She hummed, closing her eyes in a content grin. He growled playfully, pushing the sound just a tad to make it audible to eavesdropping ears. She giggled just as loud.

Grizzoli's voice sounded oddly flat. "Hooked and lined. How predictable. This might just work."

Nick scoffed. "Of course it'll work. It's us." He smiled down at his partner, planting a soft kiss on her cheek. "Want to play Catch the Rabbit?" She almost punched his shoulder for that, but her hand shot up to his face for a soft caress at the last possible moment. Her face was a conflicted mix of laughter and annoyance. He'd pay for all this later, he was sure.

"Lead on, partner."

He suddenly straightened out, turning away from the crowd, pulling her along with a smooth grin. She had to run a few steps to catch up, evening out next to his gait with a weird little hop-skip. He looked at her antics with a bemused smile. She looked quite silly, really, like a little kit at a fair. He decided he liked it all the same.

The noise in his ear told him Grizzoli was on the move as well. "Stay in sight, you two."

"They might never bite if we do." It was a mystery to him how she could keep her voice levelled while doing that damn skip-bit. "There's an alley not too far from here. How about we set a trap?"

"The one next to the juice stand? That's a dead end, Hopps. No way out if something goes wrong. I'd lose eyes on you, and you're not armed." Grizzoli fell into silence.

His partner settled into a normal walking pace, sliding one paw around Nick's waist. He almost unconsciously did the same.

The static finally picked up again. "I don't like it, but it's your call. Wilde?"

He looked down at his partner with apparent reservations. She shot him a confident smile. "We can do this. It'll be just like the museum! Except this time we'll actually have back up."

Nick sighed. "Hopps, I swear, one of these days you're going to get us both killed."

He left her no time to reply, suddenly bending down to plant a quick kiss on her nose, dashing away before she could react. He knew she'd follow, so he added just a bit of speed before coming to a full stop, swivelling round just as she was almost on top of him. She tried to backpedal, but he pulled her into a snug embrace with a playful growl, dazzling her with a kiss that spread the heat to the very tip of his ears. Suddenly, the plan seemed like the easiest hustle to pull. He dragged his bunny into the alley with a sly smile.

Let 'em come. Together, they could take on the world.

Soon as they were out of sight, her face slid back into police mode. She gave him a short nod, and they broke into a run, him following her lead. It didn't take long to find a good vantage point. Good view of the alley entrance, far enough from the street to make their target cocky, low risk of getting cornered, and a sturdy wall to press her up against, like so.

Her cop face fell to startled surprise. "What are you doing?"

He smiled innocently, sneaking one paw around her torso to hold her up to his level. "Giving them a show, what else?" She eyed him warily, her gaze constantly flicking over his shoulder. He resisted the urge to swivel his ears. "They there yet?"

"I don't see them, maybe they figured it out—" her eyes widened slightly. "No, there they are." She focused back on Nick. "Still sure about this?"

He bared just a hint of teeth. "Just tell me when."

She pulled him against her lips with surprising fierceness. Her paws found the scruff beneath his ears, her tongue flicking against his teeth for a way in, and he found his mind suddenly vacant as he granted her control, a low growl building in his chest. Her paws dug into his fur and he pressed flush against her, breaking the kiss to nip her neck, her shoulder, suddenly so very hot and bothered, almost forgetting why they were here.

He saw the glint in her eyes right as she broke the silence.

"Apples!"

He dropped her with a snarl, feeling the brush of her ears against his legs as she pounced through them. He heard the surprised grunt before he had pivoted all the way, just in time to dodge the oncoming punch. The young wolf stumbled and hit the wall instead, howling in pain. Nick grabbed the injured paw and twisted it behind his back, slamming his opponent against the stones. What he lacked in height he could easily make up with just a hint of pressure on what felt like a broken wrist.  
Meanwhile his partner was lying flat on the other perp's back, one leg hooked behind one of his, her both paws locked behind his arms, pulling his shoulders back. The floored wolf was snarling and rocking, somehow unable to get up.

Nick let out a low whistle. "You have _got_ to show me how you do that one day."

She wasn't even breaking a sweat. "Hopps here. All clear!"

"Who are you talking to?" The wolf pressed against the wall demanded. Nick added just a touch of pressure, turning a snarl into a whiny whimper. "You'll see, hot shot."

When Grizzoli entered the scene, one look at the situation was more than enough to turn his worried frown into outright laughter. The wolf on the ground snarled in fury, redoubling his efforts to get loose. "What are you laughing about? These two attacked us without warning! We demand you arrest them!"

"Oh really?" A dangerous glint came into the officer's eyes as he dropped down to look the wolf in the eye. "You got tackled by a poor defenceless bunny? You ready to make a statement about that?" The youth stopped fighting the rabbit's hold, suddenly wary. Grizzoli took out his handcuffs with a scoff. "That's what I thought."

The wolf with the broken wrist came willingly enough, ducking into the patrol car with downcast eyes and his tail between his legs. His friend took a bit more persuading. He fought Grizzoli's grip the whole way, snarling into Nick's face as he passed. "Filthy Preychaser! No self respecting pred plays with their foo- **ugh!** "

Grizzoli had slammed the wolf against the patrol car with enough force to make the car rock on its wheels.

"Woops. Must have tripped." His face was placid, but the white wolf's voice was pure ice. A shiver ran over Nicks's spine, and by the way the other wolf's ears went flat against his skull, he must have felt it too. He didn't give any more trouble after that.

With the two troublemakers finally secure, their Team Leader seemed to relax back into his own self. "Good job, you two. I'll take these two down for processing. Unless you want to do that yourself?"

His rabbit pulled a face. "No thanks. All I want to do right now, is take a long, hot bath."

"Oh come on, Hopps." Nick crossed his arms with a crooked grin. "I don't smell _that_ bad." He ignored her scowl and chuckled at Grizzoli, who didn't join in the banter. Instead, he was looking at the pair of them, his head slightly cocked in that puzzled wolf way.

Nick's chuckle died in his throat. Judy didn't seem to notice. She was taking the little electronic bug out of her ear to hand it over, and he quickly followed suit. Grizzoli collected them without further ado, simply nodding one last time before getting into the cruiser.

It wasn't until the police car turned the corner that she finally looked at him, suddenly confused at his expression. "Something wrong?"

He looked down at her with a cocked ear. "Apples, Hopps? Really?"

She simply grinned. "Worked, didn't it? And now you can't complain I never use it."

He snorted. "Me, complain? I wouldn't dare." But he smiled at her anyway.

* * *

Compared to a weekday, the ZPD was oddly quiet. Nick and Judy hurried to their respective locker rooms for a quick shower. Debrief was only thirty minutes away, and whatever it was Grizzoli had noticed downtown, Nick really didn't feel like letting Bogo catch a whiff of it. He scrubbed his fur with furious vigour. What was it they said about hindsight? Nothing he could do about it now, except but roll with the punches.

His partner was waiting for him outside, back into uniform as well. She gave him a sceptical once over. "Straighten your tie, you know Chief hates it when it's crooked." He pulled it into place without comment.

The rest of the team wasn't hard to find. Their laughter boomed through the mostly deserted hallways, occasional startling an officer at his desk.

Nick made a show of sweeping towards the two felines, shaking their paws with an air of formality. "Officer Delgato, officer Clawhauser, may I congratulate you both on your immaculate performance?"

The lion smoothed down his mane with a grin. "Thanks,.. I think. Clawhauser definitely owes me dinner after that cheek action. I'm usually not that easy, I swear."

His partner for the day bumped his hip with a grin. "Aww, don't go breaking my heart now! I might never get over it!"

Delgato deadpanned. "It's not you Benjamin, it's me."

The cheetah gasped, clutching at his heart. "Are you… breaking up with me?"

Delgato clapped him on the shoulders with a heavy look. "Our love was never meant to be. It simply burned too bright. Be brave, my Speckled Delight. You will find love again, this I swear."

The cheetah's lip began to tremble. Nick was looking at the whole thing with obvious delight. His partner meanwhile had her paws clamped over her nose, shaking with silent laughter. Seemingly oblivious to his audience, the cheetah started to heave with strangled sobs.

"Don't ask me to go on without you. I just can't!"

Delgato considered for a moment. "What if I sent you donuts?"

"Oooh!" The cheetah snapped straight into his happy self again. "Break up terms accepted!"

Delgato nodded solemnly. "It is settled." He winked at Hopps, who was still trying to contain her laughter. "Back to work."

Grizzoli was waiting for them in the briefing room, as was Chief Bogo.

"Welcome back team, close the door. Hopps, wipe that grin off your face."

"Yeah Hopps," Delgato quipped. "He can't have been _that_ good a kisser."

Grizzoli barked out a laugh, while Benjamin let out a loud "Ooooh." Nick only froze for a heartbeat, recovering with practiced ease. He raised his chin with mock hurt. "Hold on now, I resent that! I am a fox of many talents, kissing included!" He put one paw over his heart and raised his snout, in stark contrast with his absolutely mortified partner who had her face hidden behind her paws, a hard flush blazing to the tip of her ears.

The buffalo snorted. "Find someone who cares, Wilde. Team Leader, your report so we can all go home, please."

The white wolf stepped up to start the mission briefs, and the group settled down.

And then Monday rolled around, and everything went back to normal. Aside from the compliments that came their way from various corners, wanting to know just how they tackled two wolves in their prime without any assistance or weapons, nobody even mentioned, well… _that._ Even Delgato only shot them a friendly good morning when he walked into the precinct, dropping a big box onto Clawhauser's desk when the cat wasn't looking. And if Grizzoli suspected anything, he was very carefully sidestepping the whole issue. But yeah, he probably knew. Damn wolves and their noses.

Nick leaned against the wall next to the bullpen, looking at the comings and goings of it all. His partner, edgy ever since they walked in, was finally relaxing next to him. He dared to shoot her a small smile.

This could work. It might just work.

At his desk, Clawhauser was roaring with sudden laughter. Nick looked over to see the cheetah pull two donuts from the mystery box. They were covered with a dark yellow glaze, topped with chocolate sprinkles. 

* * *


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is your final smut warning.

It happened early in March, during one of their rare long weekends. The day was brutally cold, with a chill in the wind that cut to the bone. Nick had suggested they'd go for a walk, and Judy had called him mental. They'd gone anyway.

Once outside, it was a toss up as to which one looked more ridiculous: Judy with her double layered coat and her ears tucked into an overlarge scarf, courtesy of Mrs. Hopps, or Nick, who took every new gale as a challenge to point his snout, sticking his nose into the wind with a lopsided smile. She'd scold him about catching a cold with an exasperated sigh and he'd pretend he didn't hear her. The chill crept up his nose as he sniffed the breeze eagerly. No hint of spring yet, but it was coming. It couldn't be far now. He'd been feeling it for a few days now, the low hum in his blood getting gradually weaker. His season was finally ending.

Not that he'd been totally hopeless, especially once he'd found himself in quite the enjoyable company. As far as seasons went, this one made it to the top of the list. And yet, and yet… there was something to say in favour of resolve and a clear head.

After the park he suggested they'd go for a hot drink, and she happily agreed. The little teahouse was crowded, but cheerful and comfortably warm. He unwrapped his shivering bunny with a chuckle, ignoring the stares from the next table over as he started rubbing her back with rapid strokes, warming her up. She leaned into his touch with a happy hum. Only on the last one down did he add some force with his claws, making her jump. He winked at her startled look and led her to a free table in a corner.

It slowly went downhill from there. His poor flustered rabbit really didn't stand a chance.

He'd touch her paw, deliberately lingering just a tad too long, or surprise her with a soft but well placed kiss. When she scooted her chair closer he draped one arm around her shoulders and bent over to steal a taste of her drink, innocently catching her eyes right as his tongue flicked out to find the straw. Her ears drooped to hide the flush, but she didn't look away.  
And all the while Nick kept on talking, keeping the conversation going. About work, the family back home, Finnick's latest troubles, how his mom invited them both to dinner next Sunday. Whenever she was talking he'd absent mindedly caress an ear, or rest a warm paw on her knee, slowly inching upwards. He had to confess; the way her voice hitched when he pressed his claws into that delicious thigh of hers was better than a hot coffee by far.

In the end, she all but dragged him back home.

He found himself with his arms full of rabbit before the door was halfway closed. He was amazed they even made it to the bed. Finding her clothes later would prove a challenge, but she was well past caring as she kicked off her panties. Her kisses were pure hunger, and she was leading his paw down with an impatient persistence.

He chuckled against her lips, playing dumb. "Where do you want this?" His paw slid over her buttocks, taking a firm grope. "Here?"

She huffed in frustration, pulling at his touch. He nuzzled her cheek, playing his claws through the fluff of her tail. "Aren't you going to ask nicely?"

Her face scrunched up in a scowl. He grinned at her hidden embarrassment, absolutely loving it. His paw dipped over her stomach and between her legs, resting on her inner tight. "Or do you want me to guess?"

She whined, unwilling to just say it, her ears slowly reddening in a blush.

He dragged his claws over the length of her leg. "Here?"

She pulled him in for a furious kiss. "Damnit Nick, you want me to beg?"

He retracted his claws with an audible chink, a single digit hovering. "One of these days, sweetheart, I'm going to play dumb until you actually ask me."

Her retort got lost in a low and trembling moan as he slid into her folds, easy and wet and impossibly warm. It always took him by surprise, the way her body heat ran a few degrees above his. He settled over her, resting his weight on his other arm, starting up a slow, steady rhythm. His palm rested over her heat, occasionally adding pressure against her little nub. She pushed her head back against the pillow, rewarding him with that rare little sound he loved so much. A hard look crossed his face, hungry and feral. Her face alone had his pants uncomfortably tight.

He arched his digit slightly, searching for her sweet spot. "Here?"

She cried out, bucking into his palm, unbelievably hot. "There, there, oh Nick, yesss..."

He growled his delight, exploring, adding pressure. Her scent was spiking rapidly, filling his head with blissful fog. She gasped as he sped up, unrelenting, already drunk on her scent and sounds. She was close, and he wanted to hear it, wanted to see it on her face.

She came with his name on her lips. He pounced on them with a growl, kissing her hard and deep, feeling her come down under him. His snout found her ear, breathing into it with unsatisfied hunger. "Oh no you don't."

He pressed the soaked digit back into her, drawing a surprised whimper. "I'm so not done with you yet." Her face was a delicious mix of despair and desire. His member was straining against the fabric, throbbing with need, but there would be time, plenty of time for that later. She was gasping for breath, looking up at him through half closed eyes. They were blazing with hunger, mirroring his own.

She seized up without warning, breath caught in her throat until the tremble turned into a frantic wave, crashing over her in hard bucks. He buried his snout into her neck, breathing in her scent, revelling in the way she squeezed around his digit.

More. He wanted more.

He barely waited for her to come down before picking up the pace again. There was that little sound again, shooting straight down his spine. He couldn't catch the deep growl, rolling against her throat with hot breaths, teeth grazing her fur.

"Ah— Apples!"

Desire wilted under a surge of panic. He pulled away as if burned, backing off until he was at the very edge of the bed. He expected her to bolt, but aside from her rapid heaving chest, she stayed absolutely still. Frozen, maybe? The room was heavy with her panting, tugging at his strings something fierce. He tried very hard not to panic himself. She suddenly looked so very small. Should he go? Did he dare to move? The word was still burning his ears. Besides the alley incident, it was the only time she had ever used it. Somehow, he hadn't expected it to sting this much.

Eternity passed before her breathing started to slow. She sat up with difficulty, her eyes slightly dazed as she turned to him. She stretched out a paw to beckon him over, and he flinched, ears flat against his skull.

"C'mere."

He shook his head with a whine.

"Dumb fox, get over here." She sounded breathless, exhausted. Annoyed. "It's not your fault."

He stubbornly stayed on his side of the bed.

"This isn't fear, Nick." She scrunched up her face at the effort of sitting up. "It's a bunny thing, where... Oh crackers, how do I explain this." The insides of her ears flushed slightly. "Okay, look... You know why rabbits can't have caffeine?"

The switch took him off guard, and he broke his silence unthinking. "Your system can't take it. The adrenaline would make your heart explode."

"Top of the class," she chuckled. The little sound chased away some of his tension. He took in the air, inhaling deeply to be sure. Not a trace of fear to be found on her. He closed his eyes to slits, concentrating. Bunny and fox, the odd and exciting mix of their pheromones. Plenty of hunger, along with a heavy dose of adrenaline.

Her expression was pained as she watched him sample the mood. "Nick, please just connect the dots, this is seriously embarrassing."

He hesitated, not sure he got it right. It seemed too absurd for words. "You're saying you got an adrenaline overload?"

She didn't even need to answer; her ears were flush with the truth. He checked himself, closing his mouth. "And that's... Normal, is it? For a rabbit?"

She suddenly found the ceiling extremely interesting. "Not normal per se, I mean..." She was struggling to find the words. "Two rabbits together, well..." Her ears were positively alight by now. "We have really good hearing, all right?"

Was she seriously saying what he thought she was saying?

"You can hear my heartbeat?"

Her look was pure embarrassment. "Sometimes. When you're close by. It depends on interference too."

He turned that over in his head. "So... When we're in the office together?" She nodded. "Cruiser?" She shrugged. "Depends on the traffic."

"Now?"

A soft smile. "Yes."

He wasn't sure how he felt about that. "So... How do I sound?"

"Tense. Come here, dumb fox." She spread her arms wide, her eyes willing him to break the distance. "Hug me?" He found himself moving into her embrace, pushing his head against her chest, curling his tail around her frame. He never could say no to her, and she knew it well enough, damn her.

"I'm almost down," she murmured, chinning him softly between his ears. "I'll be fine. Please don't worry."

He could feel her heartbeat now, a rapid staccato compared to his own steady rhythm. He wrapped his arms around her, pressing an ear flush against her chest. She'd always been tuned high, and he tried to recall it now, tracking the beats as they slowed down.

He raised his ears in question, and she chuckled, the sound rumbling through her chest. "Yeah, back to normal at last."

He came up to meet her eyes, allowing himself a smile. "I don't think we have a right to that word anymore, Carrots."

"Sure we d—" he silenced her with a kiss, soft and sweet. They had all the time in the world, didn't they? This time, he'd take it slow. When her scent shifted, he deepened the kiss with a low rumble. Her paws were trailing over his back, restless and distracting. When one brushed his tail, he pulled back, snapping his teeth inches from her grin.

"Not tired anymore, I gather? He matched her grin. "Good."

He put one paw on her breast, pushing her onto the bed with sudden pressure. Surprise flickered in her eyes, and he waited a heartbeat before kissing her again, giving her room to protest. She whimpered into his mouth instead, so he trailed hot kisses down her neck, turning them into nips halfway down. His paw was still draped over her chest, almost carelessly, staying there as his nips turned to nuzzling, broken by the occasional flick of a tongue. Over her collarbone, across her chest, down and down... His bared teeth grazed the fur of her stomach, and she gasped, trying to sit up. He added pressure with his paw, unwilling to let her. She had her word. She was his unless she used it.

He stretched the digits of his paw over her chest, his other arm sneaking over her hips as he looked up with a devious grin. She was regarding him warily, but the air was rich with want, and she kept her silence. He dipped his snout between her thighs, grazing the fur of a leg with his nose. Her breath hitched, and he had to add a bit more pressure to keep her down. _Twitchy little bunny._ He nipped her thigh, and then the other, chuckling at the resulting whine. He pressed his nose into her heat with sudden vigour, inhaling deeply. He almost lost his mind. She bucked again, and he pressed her down with force, unsheathing his claws with a soft chink. He came up to find her glazed eyes.

"Ah-ah." His grin was all teeth. "Stay."

Her eyes widened slightly, panting wordlessly. Her scent held no fear, only desire. He flexed the paw on her chest as he dipped back down.

_Focus. Slow._

He flicked his tongue against the fur of her thigh, right under her heat. Under his pads, he could feel her heartbeat rise. He raised his snout slightly, allowing his breath to play over her wetness.

She twitched in his grasp, moaning a single word. "Please..."

She had begun to tremble. He pressed his nose into the fur above her folds, collecting his focus. Counting her beats. He made the first taste slow and deliberate, dragging his tongue over her folds, drawing a sound from her almost as delicious as her taste. He nipped her thigh before tasting her again. And again. Her hips tried to rise up to meet him, but his paws were unrelenting, firmly keeping her in place. She cried out when his tongue slipped over her nub, and he paused, just long enough to be satisfied the hitch in her beat was just that, a hitch. She tried to buck into his mouth, hungry and unfocused. He rewarded her by slipping his tongue between her folds, taking a deep and hungry taste. A sudden pain shot through his ears as she grabbed them, eliciting a growl that rumbled against her wetness, shivering along her spine. The way she trembled in his hold was amazing.

Her beat was speeding up, so he slowed down, ignoring her whines of dissent. He had her right where he wanted, trapped and claimed and completely his, but her heart was in charge. He buried his claws into the fur of her chest, his pads feeling what his ears could not hear. He was learning fast, and loving it.

Her breath came in short gasps as his attention went back to little nub and flicked it once, twice, growling softly as she whimpered and whined, too lost to find words. His hot tongue trailed over her folds, teasing her nub once again, acutely aware of the pressure trembling under his paws. She was close, so very close. And he knew just how he wanted to tip her over.

"Judy…" It was a deep, guttural growl, cut short as he sucked down. The wave crashed through her, almost breaking his grip, and he held on with renewed vigour, adding pressure with his lips whenever the wave hit lowest.

He almost reluctantly let go as her heart started to race, breaking all contact save for the paw on her chest. He looked at his bunny with a hint of worry. Her panting was uneven, ears flush and twitching. He let out a breath he wasn't aware he had been holding when the beats evened out. It took her a long while to come down. He waited along with her, his paw keeping their single contact, until she finally opened her eyes. She seemed miles away. Her paws came up to her chest to caress his own.

"You sure you're not a bunny?"

He bared all his teeth in a low growl. "Do I look like a bunny to you?"

She shivered, something shifting behind her eyes. He grinned in approval as she pulled him on top, kissing him with refound hunger. Fearless. Fierce. His.

His shirt was first to go. For some reason it never was the tie. She unbuckled his pants with deft ease, pulling the sides with her hind paws to push them further down. He kicked them off without breaking the kiss, catching her paws as they went to work on his boxers. She tried to slip out of his grasp, and a quick scuffle momentarily broke the moment. It was a silent argument, one they've had before. He twined his digits with hers, pressing her paws into the pillow above her head, securing his boxer's safety. So far, it was an argument he had always won. He crashed his lips against hers once more, and the fight seemed forgotten, her grip going slack.

He let go, allowing her to reach into his neck, ruffling his fur as she looked for momentary holds. The kiss deepened. Impossibly soft paws slid down along his spine, drawing forth both a shiver and a moan. And then they dipped into his boxers before he could stop her, grabbing a firm hold of his buttocks. He started, breaking the kiss with a frown.

Sly bunny. He pulled her paws away, pressing his groin against her for maximum distraction. He bucked into her, his sheet painfully hard but safely confined behind fabric, grinding against her hotness, fully intent to ride it out of her. It usually was enough. Usually. Today, there was an edge of frustration to her throaty moan, confusingly different. She went for his boxers again, and he almost didn't catch her in time. She huffed in frustration when he stopped her yet again, opening her eyes. His heart skipped a beat. There was no anger there, only... pleading. His expression was pained, his own desire rattling the cage something fierce. How could he say no to her? How could he say yes? He silently shook his head, shifting his weight to his arms to break their contact. One of these days, she wasn't going to take no for an answer anymore.

He took her by the shoulder, flipping her onto her belly before she could come up with a compelling argument to charm him out of his clothes. One paw stayed on her shoulder, the other burrowing under her stomach, finding her centre, slipping in two rough digits before she fully realised what he was doing. He leaned his full weight onto her, caging her between chest and mattress, between his paw and his painfully throbbing shaft, pressed hard against her bare behind.

Her resolve shivered and melted in a shirring moan, and he knew he had won the battle. He tried not to think of his inevitable defeat in the war. He rode against her in time with his paw, with short, powerful bucks, acutely aware of how tight she was around his digits. She was trying and failing to form words, burying her face into the pillow. The muscles of her jaw told him she was biting into the fabric, so he dipped his snout to her ears, nuzzling the base.

"Want me to stop?"

She growled, actually growled, at the bluff. "Bite me."

He obeyed blindly and unthinking, teeth burying into the fur of her shoulder. She bucked under him, gasping audibly, and he pulled back with a jolt of shame.

"Gods, I'm so sorry—"

He scrambled to give her room, but she grabbed his paw right as it left her, grinding hard against his shaft. "Don't you dare. Don't you..." Her gaze was positively raw with hunger. He testily slid his digits back in, and she moaned her approval. He reset the pace, or tried to, riding her with an uneven, frantic beat. She was trying to say something, mind too far gone to get it out, his too clouded to understand, until she looked at him over her shoulder, eyes bright with want. He took the gamble, carefully sinking his teeth lightly into her fur. She whined high in her throat, trembling under him, close, so close, her scent hot in his nose, and for just a second, just one, he forgot all about the cage. Instinct bit down with a low growl, locking her shoulder in an iron grip.

She screamed his name into the claim, and he lost it, riding her fast and hard while he came, grunting and whining, unwilling to break his hold.

It was a long while before he let her go, sitting up in sudden awkwardness.

"Okay... We are definitely doing that again." She chuckled into the sheets with a dreamy expression, utterly exhausted. "Nick, that tickles, what are you doing?"

He was leaning on one arm, trembling with fatigue, gently ruffling the fur on her shoulder with an intense sort of look. He tried to stop her when she turned under him, but she scoffed and cuffed him on the side of his snout.

"Stop that. You didn't hurt me." His heart leapt into his throat at her delicious grin. "I liked it, you dumb fox. Or was I unclear about any of it?"

He felt the heat rise to his ears, and he turned away, suddenly unwilling to look at her. She turned his head back with sudden fierceness, keeping it in a firm lock inches away from hers.

"Are you hearing me? I like it. Don't you dare hold back on me. Not ever."

He didn't know what to say to that, so he kissed her instead. She hummed against his lip, lazy and content, utterly spent.

Judy Hopps was going to be the death of him.

**Author's Note:**

> I'll probably post chapter two somewhere next week. BE WARNED, the next one is going to be absolutely smutty. If that's not your cup of tea, I highly recommend you skip it and wait for chapter three.


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